Oh, Glee!

In tonight’s episode of Glee, Kurt and Finn end up sharing a room when Finn and his mom move into the Hummel home. Kurt has a serious crush on Finn, and Finn notices, and addresses it in a certain scene. The whole situation is bad–Kurt has a crush on Finn, Finn feels uncomfortable with the new situation and the fact that he has to share a room with someone who has a crush on him, Kurt denies this when Finn calls him out on it.

But then it goes from bad to horrible when Finn looks around the room and begins using “faggy” to describe the decor Kurt picked for their room. And that’s where Kurt’s father comes in (quote under cut):

Burt: “Hey! What did you just call him?”

Finn: “Oh, no no—I didn’t call him anything—I was talking to the blanket—”

Burt: “You use that word, you’re talking about him.”

Kurt: “Dad, I didn’t take it that way—”

Burt: “Yeah, that’s because you’re sixteen and you still assume the best in people. You live a few years, you start seeing the hate in people’s hearts. Even the best people. [to Finn] You use the n-word?”

Finn: “No, of course not.”

Burt: “You call that nice girl in Cheerios, with Kurt, you call her a retard?”

Burt: “I know what you meant! What, you don’t think I didn’t use that word when I was your age? You know, some kid—some kid gets clocked in practice, we tell him, ‘Stop being such a fag, shake it off.’ We meant it exactly the way you meant it. That being gay is wrong, that it’s some kind of punishable offense. I really thought you were different, Finn. You know, I thought that being in Glee club, and being raised by your mom, meant that you were some new generation of dude who saw things differently, who just came into the world knowing what it’s taken me years of struggling to figure out. I guess I was wrong.”

This scene…this scene was amazing.

Especially in regards to a conversation I had with my dad today. I was telling him how tired I was reading about privilege and racism and sexism and the incredible amount of stupidity and ignorance every where. He noted that this was what I chose to study, what I cared about. And he told me there was a possibility of hope in certain circumstances–he mentioned that if people of color were able to become part of the process, then portrayals of people of color could become more realistic and less demeaning.

I think Glee shows an example of that here. Ryan Murphy actually created Kurt for Chris Colfer, based on himself. And I think that’s why Kurt’s problems and such are carried over throughout the season, and why his dad is such a big character and why this speech is so incredibly true.

In fact, let’s go back to the speech.

The reason I love it so much is because there is so much honesty and love and understanding in it. First, Burt notes that Finn doesn’t use other harmful epithets, but he thinks it’s okay to use “faggy” to Kurt’s face, even though he knows it will hurt him and it’s meant to hurt him.

Then he notes that despite his intention, despite “what he meant,” that Burt knows the underlying reason for the word’s existence and why Finn thinks it’s supposedly okay to use. He traces the origins of the word’s hatred, back to how he used and what kind of agenda it in and of itself it pushes.

Next (and this was the most revealing), he notes that he thought Finn was special in that he knew this–that he knew the problems Kurt had to face, how painful the word is and why it’s usage is so disgusting. And Burt thought Finn illustrated a new hope–he invested his idealism within Finn, like he was a representative of a generation that wouldn’t be ignorant of such things. And when Burt admits that he himself had to work on this, but thought that Finn knew this inherently, it is just…so real.

As someone who is sometimes shocked to learn and/or hear people talk in ways that are hurtful and bigoted and condescending when I thought of them as being progressive and smart, goosebumps ran down my back at the harsh truth Burt was preaching.

What a wonderful piece of television. While I noted before that Glee is a problematic television show, I also said that it’s a show that has real potential as well. And tonight it lived up to it.

One Response to “Oh, Glee!”

I’ve read a lot of criticism in the past few days about the scene, mostly criticisms against Burt that I felt were unfair.

I’ve found that I’m constantly defending Glee (at least in my head) because these situations make so much sense to me, or at least I think they do.

I felt bad for Finn, I felt REALLY bad for Finn. In the past I’ve had male friends who form crushes on me and I can’t return the affection. It made me feel terrible! I felt really guilty. They’re my friend and I don’t want them to be hurt by my rejection but I can’t force myself to feel the same way that they do. Not only that, but the second I realize that crush is there I no longer feel entirely safe around that person either. I’m always afraid they’ll make a move and it’ll force me to react and it’ll ruin everything. So I really felt for Finn. It would have been bad enough for him to room with a girl who had a crush on him that he didn’t like, but let’s face it, high schools aren’t all that sensitive and a gay friend making a move wouldn’t have just the normal consequences.

Sheesh book over! Okay, I don’t think Kurt would have made a move on Finn, I really don’t. But I don’t blame Finn for feeling freaked out, I would have put my underwear on in the shower too!

Obviously the outside pressure didn’t help Finn’s situation either. There he is, trying to straddle the fence between cliques and one of the cliques is applying a lot of pressure. (What DID bother me, that I haven’t seen anyone address yet, is Finn is supposed to be the best football player on the team, so where do the other football players get off trying to push him around? You guys can’t afford to piss him off! He’s your glory!)

Of course Finn overreacted and I don’t think he even meant what he said when he said “faggy”. When we’re angry we all overreact, especially as teenagers who are feeling pressured, confused, upset (he totally didn’t want to move and that was an awful way to tell him he didn’t have a choice) and uncomfortable.

But I’m glad Burt yelled at him. I think a lot happened in that scene, maybe not as much as the writers intended but I love to look at these things with a fine tooth comb darnit! I’m glad Burt yelled at him because that was something the audience needed to hear. Especially the younger audience. I’m glad Burt yelled at him because I think it was something Kurt needed to hear. Kurt loves his dad and knows his dad loves him, but he still feels less than and left out because he can’t naturally relate to his dad the way he assumes most boys can. (Of course we know that not all boys can relate with their dads but it’s always easier to see these things from the outside.) I think it was something Finn needed to hear too. Sure he overreacted and sure he maybe didn’t mean it, but Finn isn’t the man of the house anymore and in an animalistic sort of way, I really appreciated Burt asserting his dominance over Finn in a fatherly sort of way. Of course I don’t think this is a great idea for all or even most family dynamics but Finn needs a break from being the man of the house, it’s his turn to be a son. Lastly, I was happy Burt said it because I think it was something Burt needed to hear too. No big reason, I just think it was.

Okay I’ll try to stop ranting about THIS PARTICULAR SCENE now after I say one last thing:

I don’t think there was any risk of Burt kicking Finn out of the house (or leaving him homeless). I didn’t take the lecture as Burt saying, “Get ready to leave!” I took it as Burt saying, “If this hate continues, I can’t have you (and in extension, Finn’s mom) in my family anymore.” Because as much as Burt likes Finn’s mom, I really think Burt just wants a family.

Okay sorry for the long comment, that has been growing in my head all day!